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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
another great book by one of my all time favorite authors
it’s really bleak and smith can’t conceal her contempt for her lead characters, but it’s also incredibly perceptive and probing. riveting & depressing in equal measure
*
*
--- reread April 2015 ---
I was so, so wrong about this book.
My problem initially was that I was in a rush. There are books that are great when you're in a rush, but there are books that need you to slow down and be in a contemplative mood. This is one of those books.
There's not much in the way of conventional plot here. This is a book about two women. Mostly Keisha, a little Leah, and their lives in London. I thought this would be a book of place given the title, but it's not. The place is a backdrop that propels what events there are, but these women could be anywhere.
I love this book because the characters read so true. They have a depth and a texture that is Smith's particular skill. You love and hate these women like you love and hate the real people in your life. I ended up nodding along to so much, and at the same time learning so much from this book. A remarkable thing.
I'm still trying to decide what I think about the Felix interlude. It feels like a novella apart from the rest of the book; I'm not sure what Smith meant for it or what it means to me. Hopefully I'll find out in my 2017 reread!
--- original June 2013 review (3 stars) follows ---
Tough book to review.
Zadie Smith is my favorite contemporary novelist. I love all of her prior novels, but had a tougher time with this one.
The highlight of this book, as with all of her other books, is the extreme empathy she has for all of her characters. Smith's books have good guys and bad guys, but they never come off that way. Smith has a wonderful ability to make even the worst decisions comprehensible. That's present here in spades, and I love it.
The narrative structure is much looser in NW than in her other novels. There's no plot thread tying everything together. The book feels like a series of vignettes of varying lengths that are connected only by geography. I found it harder to stay engaged given the structure.
Without a solid plot, the book is really all texture. Characters and place. Smith is as skilled as ever in evoking mood, and there were parts of the book that I loved.
Overall, though, my least favorite of hers so far. I suspect this will reward multiple readings; I'll update this review when I find out!
I was so, so wrong about this book.
My problem initially was that I was in a rush. There are books that are great when you're in a rush, but there are books that need you to slow down and be in a contemplative mood. This is one of those books.
There's not much in the way of conventional plot here. This is a book about two women. Mostly Keisha, a little Leah, and their lives in London. I thought this would be a book of place given the title, but it's not. The place is a backdrop that propels what events there are, but these women could be anywhere.
I love this book because the characters read so true. They have a depth and a texture that is Smith's particular skill. You love and hate these women like you love and hate the real people in your life. I ended up nodding along to so much, and at the same time learning so much from this book. A remarkable thing.
I'm still trying to decide what I think about the Felix interlude. It feels like a novella apart from the rest of the book; I'm not sure what Smith meant for it or what it means to me. Hopefully I'll find out in my 2017 reread!
--- original June 2013 review (3 stars) follows ---
Tough book to review.
Zadie Smith is my favorite contemporary novelist. I love all of her prior novels, but had a tougher time with this one.
The highlight of this book, as with all of her other books, is the extreme empathy she has for all of her characters. Smith's books have good guys and bad guys, but they never come off that way. Smith has a wonderful ability to make even the worst decisions comprehensible. That's present here in spades, and I love it.
The narrative structure is much looser in NW than in her other novels. There's no plot thread tying everything together. The book feels like a series of vignettes of varying lengths that are connected only by geography. I found it harder to stay engaged given the structure.
Without a solid plot, the book is really all texture. Characters and place. Smith is as skilled as ever in evoking mood, and there were parts of the book that I loved.
Overall, though, my least favorite of hers so far. I suspect this will reward multiple readings; I'll update this review when I find out!
This book is about the casual and mundane as it follows different people throughout their daily lives leading into a climax (boring, not very exciting climaxes) for each character. Each character was written in a style so different from the other and often making it a challenge to read. However, the prose of each character serves as a metaphor for how different life for each individual who inhabits the same place, which I appreciated after I realized that’s what it was doing. I didn’t hate it, didn’t love it, I’m not sure if I even liked it. But it was unique... and lackluster.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
loved the writing style, the attention to detail on place and character. was slightly disappointed by the narrative flow towards the end, but realised it's part of the magic - amazing storytelling
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.75 stars
As always, I delighted in Zadie Smith's prose, narrative style, and painfully flawed human characters.
I only wish this piece had been a bit longer; the manner in which the plotline unravelled was wonderful, but I really would have liked to see even more of some of the supporting character's perspectives. Also, the final conclusion was a bit anti-climactic. The two main characters never had a common resolution amongst themselves, and the plotline was also left dangling.
As always, I delighted in Zadie Smith's prose, narrative style, and painfully flawed human characters.
I only wish this piece had been a bit longer; the manner in which the plotline unravelled was wonderful, but I really would have liked to see even more of some of the supporting character's perspectives. Also, the final conclusion was a bit anti-climactic. The two main characters never had a common resolution amongst themselves, and the plotline was also left dangling.
challenging
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes